Supply issues and lockdowns saw the number of smartphone shipments into New Zealand tumble, as key vendors struggled to fill orders during the all-important holiday season.
During 2021, 1.45 million units were imported, down 3.6 per cent from 2020’s 1.5 million units. This is according to the latest IDC Asia/Pacific Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Shipments were mostly impacted during the second half, down by 16 per cent year-on-year, as supply issues spilled into the holiday season,.
“While shipments in the first half of 2021 grew 17 per cent YoY and carried through the positive momentum seen in 2H20, the New Zealand market stuttered in the back half of 2021 as supply issues on chipsets and components impacted the market,” says Maxim Wilson, IDC Market Analyst for ANZ Mobile Devices.
“Additionally, lockdowns from the COVID-19 delta variant limited shipments into retail channels.”
The market’s increasing reliance on three major brands is also of concern.
“Apple, Samsung and OPPO accounted for 88 per cent of all shipments in 2021, up from 79 per cent in 2020,” Wilson notes.
“While supply issues persist, the reliance on a handful of brands could increase the current imbalances between supply and demand.”
